The Joys and Sorrows of Love
by WhiteBitch
Summary: This was a challenge/present fic. Starts out BotanxRan then goes to YojixRan. Much angst, some death, lots o' yaoi. R&R. Onegai?


The Joys and Sorrows of Love (AN: This story takes place during the time when Weib are trying to eliminate those responsible for making innocent citizens spontaneously combust.)  
  
  
  
"Botan......Botan, you're hurting me. Stop."  
"Hn."  
"Botan!" Anyone listening would have heard a thud as Fujimiya Ran pushed his lover to the floor. Botan glared up at Ran, his face shadowed.  
"What the hell did you do that for?" The dark shape that was Ran got up from the bed and started dressing.  
"You were hurting me. You said you'd stop and you lied. All I am to you is a fuck buddy. I need someone who will appreciate me and......"  
"And what? Give you TLC?"  
"Yes." Ran opened the door and walked out, not looking behind him. "Good-bye Botan."  
Botan stared at the closed door throughout the night, not really noticing the dawn light playing across his face. The Kritiker agent could hardly believe that his lover had left him.  
  
  
  
Ran drove through the lonely midnight streets of Japan, not really paying attention. He was at the graveyard before he knew it. Ran got out of his little white Porsche, moonlight streaming across his tear-stained face. As if to help cover the tears, the heavens started to cry. The light rain fell welcomingly, masking Ran's own tears. He knelt at a double headstone, seeking guidance where it once could be found.  
"Manx.....Birman.....I need to talk to you." Ran stared at the headstone, wondering what to say next. "I....I hate you two. How could you find love in the kind of life we live?  
"But I _don't_ hate you. Not really. I'm glad that you two found each other before the end. Is that how it will be for me? Not finding love until the last moments? You two are two lucky bitches, you know that? And sometimes I hate you for that. What would you do if you saw me now? Embrace me? Tell me it is all going to work out for the best? " Ran got back into his Porsche, two bouquets of flowers on the double grave of the two women, Kritiker agents and lovers.  
  
  
  
Youji was startled by the sound of the apartment door slamming. He quickly poured another cup of tea and went to intercept the man who just got home. He was even more startled to see a shirtless, wet Ran staring at the floor.  
"Ran?" Ran didn't look up. "Ran, daijobu desu ka?"  
"Of course! Why wouldn't I be all right?"  
"Would you like some tea?"  
"Hai." Ran followed Youji to the kitchen, finally looking up as a hot cup of tea was pressed into his hands. "Arigatou."  
"No problem." Youji observed droplets of water falling from Ran's chin to the table.  
What are you staring at Koudo?"  
"Nandaiyo!" If there was any time that Youji wished he wasn't an ex- PI-turned-assassin who'd fallen in love with his leader, this was it. But, always the flirtatious jackass, Youji reached out and dried off Ran's face. "Daijobu Ran?"  
"Hai."  
"Honto ni?" Youji smiled, Ran hadn't moved away from his touch. "Ran.....D'you want to talk about it?"  
"No." Ran got up and went to his room. Youji sighed.  
"Ran, you bastard. I was just trying to make you feel better."  
  
Ran set down his cup and lay on his bed. In the next room he could hear Ken and Omi in the midst of their passion. He flipped onto his side, tears beginning to flow again.  
"Botan, you bastard! You never appreciated me and so you lost me...." Little did the Abyssinian know, Youji was listening from the other side of the door.  
"Shit." Youji whispered. He leaned against the wall, lighting a cigarette. "Botan and Ran? I thought those two hated each other. Man, I hope this doesn't affect his performance on the mission."  
"Youji left a note taped to Ran's door saying that he's take over the redhead's shifts the next day. Youji made his way to his room, trying to figure out how to cheer up his leader. Upon getting to his room he closed the door, completing the sanctuary it offered.  
  
  
  
"Ken-kun?"  
"Hai, Omittchi?" Ken smiled lovingly at the young, genki assassin in his arms.  
"I'm worried about Ran-kun."  
"Doshite?" Omi turned his genki eyes, full of worry, to his lover's face.  
"He just seems so alone." Omi lay his head on Ken's chest. "I wish he had somebody......"  
"How do you know he doesn't?" Upon receiving no response Ken realized that his lover was fast asleep. Taking a leaf out of Omi's book, Ken drifted off into a peaceful slumber. In the next room, the redheaded leader had finally fallen asleep.  
  
Ran awoke the next morning to rain hitting his window in a soft and steady rhythm. He pushed his damp pillow to the floor and wrapped himself in his blanket. Realizing he'd need a comforter, for his blanket was too thin, Ran got up to borrow Omi's. He took the note off his door and read it, expression softening. He smiled softly, something Botan could never make him do. Continuing on his 'mission', Ran walked into Omi's bedroom and borrowed the youth's blanket. Going back to his own room, Ran fell onto his bed, wrapped himself in the thick blanket, and continued angsting.  
  
  
  
Ken walked into the kitchen with Omi, his arm around the blonde's waist. He was surprised to see that no-one else was up. Omi picked up the note on the table.  
"Ken-kun......Youji opened the store by himself! What d'you think is wrong?"  
"Well, Ran didn't bang on the wall and tell us to keep it down last night. Maybe it has to do with Ran?"  
"Maybe......Ano, I think I'll make breakfast!" Omi gave Ken a quick kiss to get his lover to release him and started scrambling eggs.  
"I'll make toast! And don't give me that look. I haven't burnt anything in a while, so there!"  
"Okay Ken-kun."  
"I told you the first time we fucked not to use 'kun'."  
"Hai Ken." Omi said, turning red and busying himself with bacon. "Ano...is something burning??"  
"Damn!" Ken unplugged the toaster just as the toast burst into flame. He attempted to smother the fire but the towel he was using just caught on fire too. "I'm an ex-J-league goalie and an assassin yet every time I make toast it bursts into flame!"  
"But Ken, that's one of the things I love about you."  
"The fact that I can light even water on fire?"  
"No, the fact that even though you kill for a living you still manage to burn toast." Ken's frantic efforts to put out the fire were interrupted as Omi gave him another kiss, more passionate than the previous one. The small fire, left unattended for a moment, burnt itself out.  
"Chibi...." Omi giggled and went back to preparing breakfast. He put Ran's share on a tray and took it upstairs.  
  
  
  
Ran refused to acknowledge the knocking at his door and just buried himself deeper into the blankets. Omi walked in, smiling like there was no tomorrow.  
"Ran-kun! I made breakfast!!" Omi purposefully overlooked the fact that Ran was using his blanket. "Don't you want to eat it?"  
"........" Ran borrowed deeper as fresh tears sprang forth. Botan had _never_ cooked for him. Ran realized that he had been used and abused. "....okay....."  
Omi's smile wavered when Ran sat up and he saw the tears. He quickly set down the tray and sat next to his leader.  
"Ran-kun, daijobu?" He watched uneasily as Ran picked up the tray and started eating, avoiding the burnt remnants of what used to be toast. "Ran- kun? Ano, you can talk to me if you want to. I'll keep it completely confidential."  
"Honto ni?" Ran asked between bites of eggs.  
"Hai."  
"Botan and I split up." He stopped eating and glared out the window. "The bastard never appreciated me. All he wanted was a fuck buddy." Omi turned bright pink.  
"A-Ano. It'll be all right. I'm here for you. We're all here for you."  
"No-one else will know of this."  
"Hai! Ano.....how much longer are you going to be? Sulking in here, I mean."  
"Not too much longer. I suggest you get ready. I'll drive you to school today."  
  
  
  
Ran glared at the playboy next to him. Youji had insisted on coming with when the Abyssinian had driven the young Bombay to school, leaving Ken in charge of the Koneko no Sume Ie.  
"So, are we completing the mission tonight?"  
"Hai."  
"Hey Ran, let's get some coffee."  
"Fine." This response made Youji want to shake the shit out of his leader. He couldn't, of course, for two reasons: a) Youji loved him too much and b) they were driving.  
"Ne, Ran?"  
"Hn."  
"What's up? I mean, you're being more withdrawn than usual. Are you sure you're all right?"  
"No, Youji. I'm not 'all right'!" Youji blinked in surprise at this tidbit. Ran almost never revealed how he felt.  
"Do you want to talk about it?"  
"Do you want to walk the rest of the way home?" Youji was silenced as Ran's icy shields were raised once again.  
"Kuso......." Youji slipped into playboy rant mode. "You are such a jackass Fujimiya! We all care about you but do you care about us? No fucking way in hell! Sometimes I just want to kill you! I care about you more than you realize you bastard!!!"  
Ran slammed on the breaks, nearly causing an accident. He turned to Youji, eyes slightly widened in disbelief.  
"Nani?" Ran pulled into a parking lot.  
"Don't 'nani' me you jackass. Besides, you heard what I said."  
"Youji...."  
"What?" Youji said, exasperated.  
"Arigatou." Ran let the smallest of smiles creep onto his face. "Four caring, arigatou." Youji brushed away a tear that had started on its way down Ran's beautiful face.  
"Ran, what is it?" It hurts me to see you in such pain. Help me make it go away."  
"Hai...." Ran nodded slightly. "Would you like the long version or the short version?"  
"What ever makes you comfortable." Ran nodded again.  
"Ano....Botan and I were....together. I got fed up with him treating me like a fuck buddy. I left him demo, it still hurts."  
"And it will continue to hurt for a while. The only thing you can do is continue living your life."  
"Thank you for listening, Youji." Youji wrapped his arms around the redhead. At first Ran stiffened but he soon melted into the embrace.  
"Ano, let's get that cup of coffee, ne?" the blonde whispered. Ran nodded and pulled out of the embrace, starting the car and heading home.  
  
  
  
"Ran, you go! I'll distract them."  
"Botan...."  
"Go!" Botan slid under the truck and slashed the tires. But it was too late. He had been seen. The guard caught sight of Ran and fired. Botan jumped in the way, taking the bullets meant for his once lover.  
"BOTAN!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
"Ran............find your sister..........." The head of the group of targets sprayed the fuel all over Botan and he slowly burned to death.  
"BOTAN!!!!!!!!!" Youji restrained the Abyssinian.  
"Ran, no! It's too late for him. Our mission is over, let's go home."  
  
Back in the apartments above the Koneko no Sume Ie, Youji was comforting Ran. The Abyssinian could feel the warm lips of his teammate as Youji tried to kiss away the tears.  
"Ran.....don't cry. Onegai?"  
"Youji, gomen nasai. Demo....."  
"I know. Let me make you feel better, if only for a little while. Okay?"  
"Please make the pain go away Youji." Youji's kissed moved from Ran's cheeks to his jaw, then down to his neck. Youji's tongue flicked out and tasted the flesh beneath his parted lips. Slowly the Balinese lowered his leader to the bed, softly caressing the pale skin beneath him.  
  
  
  
Ran's head was resting on the chest of his new lover. The pain caused by Botan's death was still there, though lessened greatly thanks to Youji.  
"Ran-chan?"  
"Hai, Yotan?"  
"Luv ya tons." Ran laughed silently.  
"Ashiteru Yotan." Ran tilted his head back and looked into the sparkling jade eyes of his fellow assassin. "Ne, Yotan?"  
"Hai, koibito?"  
"We'll always be together, right?"  
"Of course. Not for anything in this world or another would I leave you." The blonde playboy leaned down and captured the lips of his fiery haired lover in a sweet and tender kiss.  
"...mmmm......" Ran moaned and leaned into the kiss, opening his mouth and allowing Youji's tongue to enter. Youji felt his partner going hard and broke away, smirking.  
"Ready again so soon my love?"  
"I'm always ready for you, Yotan." Ran purred seductively. Youji's smirk grew as he reached to the floor, retrieving the discarded lube. Ran pressed his lips to Youji's, taking the lube and opening the tube with a flick of his wrist. This was the beginning of many blissful nights the two assassins spent in each other's arms. This was also the night that Youji erased the pain of losing Botan from Ran's heart, receiving that heart as well.  
  
End Fini Owari  
  
  
  
AN: This story was written for my friend (pen name: Katzchen) as a Christmas present because I have no money to buy her anything nice at the moment. This was also written to her specifications and mostly during school and the wee hours of the morning. The end was written as I watched The Labyrinth (You should see it. It's very good.), a Christmas present from my dad and stepmom. 


End file.
